Yeah. I get pretty excited about the temple.
Future missionaries! Zach (Brazil), Josh (Portugal), Bryce (Guatemala), Audrey (Oregon), and myself getting ready to go do a Temple session!
Man.... I'm looking fly... Mormon fly.
Hey guys! So, I know. I've been really bad about posting on here. Mostly cuz my life is boring and I don't have a lot to say. However, this week I feel like I should tell about an experience I had!
So, this past Saturday was just one of those days. You know what I'm taking about. Just a day that everything piles up and doesn't stop. I won't go into detail, but yeah. It was a day.
When I got off work, I came home and got a letter from my buddy Austin, who is in the MTC right now preparing to go to Mexico. I was just kind of frustrated because he wasn't around to talk to about my day. (It wasn't that big of a deal, but it comes into play later).
So while I was writing him back, I had an epiphany. "Hey man. Say a prayer." So, I'm usually pretty good about saying my daily prayers! But, if I'm having a hard day, I usually never think to get down on my knees. (Which isn't good of me. I'm getting better.) Anyways, in my prayer I basically asked to be comforted, and that I would know I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
Before I proceed, I'll preface this by saying, it's a totally cliche story. But, I think that's really cool. Because if you think about it, all that means is, if everyone else can have an experience like this, you can too!
So after I got done praying, I just felt like I should read my scriptures. So, I flipped open to Alma 28,where I was in my Book of Mormon reading. This chapter is about the Nephites defeating the Lamanites in battle. So, this was great! Except, the Nephites lost a lot of loved ones in this battle. So, I'm in no way going to try to compare my petty trials during the day to losing my loved ones in battle. However, as the chapter continues, it discusses that the righteous will be blessed through faith. So that was definitely comforting. At the end of the chapter it says, "And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord;and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing- sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life." (Alma 28:14) So there it is. The key to joy everyone. You're welcome.
Although the chapter was really good, and applied to my current situation, I felt like I should keep reading. Holy cow, that next chapter was for me! This one starts out with Alma making a wish that he was an angel. So he could fly? No! So he could "go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!" (Alma 29:1) He then follows up this statement, by apologizing for making this wish, because he is already so blessed. Wow. Alma? What a stud. He has probably the most good intentioned wish of all time, and he apologizes for being ungrateful. That was really humbling for me, because everything I'd been wishing for that day had been selfish and petty.
But wait there's more!!
Alma continues, "And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he had extended towards me." (Alma 29:10) This is where it REALLY started to hit home. I got multiple meanings from this. First, obviously the joys that WILL come through missionary work. Definitely exciting and reassuring that I'm on the right path. I was also struck that so many of my friends are strong in the gospel, and how happy it makes me that that is the case, and that so many are going on missions as well!! And thinking about it just made me happy.
Last little bit. In Alma 29:13-15, he writes: "Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them;yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in which my joy is full. But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi. Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!" I notice Alma closes this with an exclamation point. He's obviously pretty stoked about his buddies out serving missions, and his own. And you know what? I'm REALLY stoked to serve my mission. And I'm super proud (in the good way) and happy for all my friends planning on serving, currently serving, or who have served their missions. And I realized, that because of that, I can be filled with joy. I shouldn't be bummed they're gone, I should be filled with joy, because the gospel of Jesus Christ is moving forward and being taught around the world: by my friends! And that, is pretty stinking awesome.
All in all, it was a huge testimony builder for me. A few things I learned.
- Heavenly Father loves us. A lot.
- He doesn't necessarily answer prayers with a chorus of angels. Oftentimes we get an answer by getting gentle nudges from the Holy Ghost to just open our scriptures.
- Our prayers do get answered! Just sometimes not immediately.
- I know Heavenly Father heard and answered MY prayer. That's a pretty awesome thing to learn.
- I know I'm being prepared for my mission. I might be a little dense sometimes, but the Lord is working on me, and he's helping shape me to be the kind of missionary that Alma and the sons of Mosiah were. That's pretty humbling.
- This isn't so much a thing I learned as much as a realization but... 3 months till Peru! :D
.... 3 months better go fast... ;)
Thanks for reading!
The church is true! :)
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